Introduction 7

7. What is Taekwondo?

Thus far I have simply reviewed the nature of PPT. Let us now proceed to its more detailed contents.

What then is Taekwondo?

Many people conceive of it as a fighting method as well as a framework for man’s motion formulated within the context of Korean traditional culture. And indeed, in many aspects it does refer to concrete motion. This volume, however, extends such a concept of Taekwondo into a more abstract and comprehensive sphere. That is, I define Taekwondo more broadly as a philosophical principle that dwells within the motions of man.

You may have trouble digesting the term “the philosophical principle of Taekwondo”, or Taekwondo as a philosophical principle in itself. But I think it is not essential to dwell upon terminology, at least for the time being. This is why I have used such expression as may prove problematic. In other words, I have inserted the meaning of philosophical principle in the name of Taekwondo, and we actually consider the philosophical principle in considering that nature of Taekwondo. Thus far it has been somewhat ambiguous. This is also because thus far there has been no one that has explained it. But now it is explicit. “Taekwondo” is a term that refers not only to concrete motions but also to the philosophical principle inherent in them. In order to distinguish the two cases when required for academic objectivity, I distinguish “Taekwondo” (as it is generally known and as a discipline of motion merely) from “TAEKWONDO” (as I conceive it as a philosophy) (see Chapter 1).

Conceiving things in this way, Taekwondo can stand as a philosophy in and of itself. It is not a philosophy that exists merely in the mental realm, but a philosophy of activity – of our motions, our life, our entirety. This is a different conception of philosophy to the usual one that philosophy concerns itself only with language and abstract ideas.

TAEKWONDO as a philosophical principle serves also a principle for all types of martial arts. It can be applied directly to other martial arts such as Hapkido, Wushu, Karate, Judo, and even Kendo. Therefore, the philosophy of Taekwondo must be that of all martial arts. You will come to agree with me as you read the contents of this volume that the PPT may be applied to any martial arts form without alteration.

Introduction 5

5. What are the Contents of the Philosophical Principle of Taekwondo?

Let me briefly introduce the contents of this volume.

This book is comprised of sixty-four chapters organized into eight sections. It would not be appropriate to explain the contents of each chapter here. Thus the content of each section shall be presented.

Section 1. “Harmony” (Chapters 1-6) gives a definition of Taekwondo as well as the concepts of Do (도[道]) and Life within Taekwondo philosophy. This section discusses the philosophical foundation of the inner principles of Taekwondo, which may prove for most readers the most abstract and difficult part of this work. If it is too difficult to understand, you may choose to skip over this section at first and return later with your understanding of the other sections.

Section 2. “Principles” (Chapters 7-13) explains in concrete terms the more immediate concepts to Taekwondo: the enemy and the opponent, thinking with your entire self, the meaning Taekwondo practice, the interrelationship between Samjae and change. In summary, this section demonstrates how the practice of Taekwondo is connected to its philosophy. Accordingly, this part will provide the essence of Taekwondo, while it may still seem abstract and difficult to readers. The ways of Haneul, Tang, and Saram will be explained from here on.

Section 3. “Samjae” (Chapters 14-22) investigates the more concrete philosophical principles in the motions of Taekwondo. As the title of this section indicates, this part provides a comprehensive explanation of the principles of Taekwondo according to the scheme of Samjae. This section also explains the various aspects of the proper motions of Taekwondo, including detailed explanations of the spiritual principles behind those motions. It also elucidates the couple of ways Samjae makes distance, tide, and balance respectively, in addition to giving explanations on the ideal distance, tide, and balance.

Section 4. “On Skills” (Chapters 23-29) explains the concrete principles underlying Taekwondo skills as well as some important factors in their development. I compare the ideal motion of Taekwondo to that of water. In addition to this, I explain that one should rhythmically control both one’s own motion and that of one’s opponent, while providing explanations of how to discover one’s blind points, regular vital points, as well as the basic skills of Taekwondo attack and defense.

Section 5. “Attack and Defense” (Chapters 30-39) explains Taekwondo attacking and defending techniques and their underlying principles. This section will provide standards for making a pose and motion, controlling your mind as you make your movements, the source of the powerful attack and the principle of the attacking technique, the ideal method of uniting attack and defense with its principle and so forth. Chapter 39 will explain the main principle of managing one’s fighting as a series of continuous attacks and defenses as well as elucidate the ultimate strategy.

Section 6. “How to use a Weapon” (Chapters 40-47). By “weapon” is meant here every sort of tool employed in attack and defense in Taekwondo. It implies the weapon in its abstract dimension. This conception implicitly presupposes that the principles of Taekwondo are not confined to merely the use of hands and feet, but may be applied as well to the use of swords and guns and even to controlling military and political power. Further, the beauty of Taekwondo, which is also explained in this section, does not imply the mere epistemological one but the comprehensive beauty that we can experience internally in our motions. So it is my I hope this concept might also be applied to dance.

Section 7. “On Poomsae” (Chapters 48-55) presents the philosophical foundation of Poomsae that constitutes a primary training process. I begin my explanation from the implication of poomsae and the proper training process, to explanations of the basic motions which comprise poomsae. Here I explain the significance of basic motions, the principles required in the training of those basic motions, and the reasons behind them, all based on the ways of Samjae.

Section 8. “The Basics” (Chapters 56-64). Since the implications of basic motions have already been explained in section seven, the implication of the basics in this section can be said to mean the foundation of Taekwondo in principle. This section explains the process of growth you experience in the Taekwondo training and its meaning, and then the spiritual and physical implications of beginning the training and its difficulty. The entirety of these issues will be explained in the relation to the whole of life, for the foundation of Taekwondo is man’s life.

Introduction 6

6. What Are the Basic Theoretical Schemes of Taekwondo Philosophy?

Now let me give you a brief explanation of the basic theoretical schemes of Taekwondo philosophy as suggested in this work.

If you have ever read the Cheon Bu Kyeong, you may immediately recognize that the titles of the first and last chapters of this book are the same as the opening and conclusion of the Cheon Bu Kyeong. Most basically this is because, as I have suggested earlier, the foundational aspects of Taekwondo philosophy are to be found in Korean traditional philosophy. It is a philosophy of harmony that recognizes the truth that oneness and nothingness begin and end in one another, and thus that any being/non-being distinction is inherently artificial. This is how it conceives the harmony of the whole. This philosophy of harmony comes with a full comprehension of the distinction between being and not-being, showing however that it is not ultimate but relative, and thus establishing a firm harmony under a whole existence of mutual recognition.  It is an extremely fundamental concept.

In the course of daily life one can plainly observe the existence of opposition and conflict within this harmony. The fact that there can be such opposition and conflict, however, depends on the fact that there an overall harmony exists as their foundational support. As one comprehends the overall harmony one can accept the oppositions and conflicts that exist within it. Thus can you also accept that Taekwondo is not a skill of just reviving but also of killing man. Some would argue that Taekwondo must not be a method of killing but the way of reviving. This argument, however, originates in a blindness to Taekwondo’s origins, the result of an over-beautification of Taekwondo. In order to avoid the dark aspects of life, Taekwondo is portrayed as a sort of medicine to revive man. Taekwondo is not a medicine. You will learn striking and kicking techniques, that is, techniques of killing, each time you practice Taekwondo. You should not hide from but accept the dark truth. After all, the wellspring of this truth is not Taekwondo but life itself. Through Taekwondo you should come to an understanding and acceptance of life itself. When you accept life whole and entire, its bright along with its dark aspects, only then will you attain that attitude towards life that I choose to call a “transcendence to the inner side of life”.

Another important theoretical scheme of Taekwondo philosophy is its concept of life. In order to arrive at a better understanding of PPT it is imperative you understand life, because PPT explains the internal principles of man’s motions, something wholly different from mere mechanical movement. The most significant difference lies in the fact that man is a living creature. Unlike the physical principles that rule man’s physical structure and motion in an external way, the principle of Taekwondo is that which connects man’s internal (subjective) side with his external (objective body) side. Man’s internal side derives from the fact that man is not merely a thing but a living creature.

Then what is life?

Life is a self-intending process. This term may sound somewhat abstruse, but if we approach it step by step it may be easier to comprehend. Let's take an example. A man moves his body, consumes food and other actions all in an aim to preserve his life. Then “to preserve one’s life” most basically means to continue to be capable of physically performing those activities of moving the body, eating food and so forth. We can say this continuance of physical activity done to preserve life is “the process for the process itself”. To abbreviate the expression, we can call it the process of intending itself; i.e. “the self-intending process”. Life is the self-intending process.

This self-intending process is also a formal frame. It is the formality one discerns at every level, from the life of a human being down to that of a living cell. I mean, the function of biological metabolism of a cell functions in this formal framework, and man’s body, which is the largest composition of cells, functions in this frame as well. Man’s macroscopic life also conforms to this framework. It is called “self-similarity” that same formality appears repeatedly in the small and large scales of any phenomenon. The self-similarity refers to the property of a structure such that its variant parts resemble the whole. The PPT can be also explained based on this property of life.

It can be said that the philosophy of harmony, the transcendence to inside of life, and the concept of life that is self-intending process are the main theoretical schemes for all thought in this volume. And each of the three also corresponds respectively to the Hanuel (Heaven), Tang (Earth) and Saram (Man) of Samjae. I submit each of these themes requires another immense philosophical discussion, which I want to put off until next time since this volume intends to first present PPT systematically.

Introduction 3

3. What is the Relationship between Taekwondo Philosophy and Traditional Oriental Philosophy?

Taekwondo philosophy has a very close and broad relationship to traditional Oriental philosophy. This is because Taekwondo has developed in the context of Oriental culture, particularly the traditional culture of Korea. Therefore, it is quite natural and inevitable that the characteristics of Korean thinking, which form the basis of that traditional culture, likewise inform the essence of Taekwondo. But there is another sound philosophical and anthropological reason why Taekwondo philosophy enjoys a close relationship with traditional Oriental thinking. It concerns the matter of distinction.

If you review works of Oriental philosophy you will soon discover that many of its essential tenets appear illogical. On the other hand, works of Western philosophy have been largely guided by a strict pursuit of logic (it is well known to philosophers that mathematics has provided the foundation of Western sciences). However, it is not because Oriental philosophers were logically confused that they resorted to illogical arguments. Rather, it was because they were seeking to explain something beyond the ken of logical thinking.

Why did they attempt to explain such things that could not be explained in a logical manner? An answer to this is provided in the Buddhist expression, “Why do you not see the moon but only the finger pointing to the moon?” To mean that it is not only the logic of language that can express ideas, and indeed, like the finger, words fall far short. To describe it a different way, relying on logic to arrive at truth is like attempting to provide someone street directions to a destination while taking pains to make absolutely certain that explanation is logically precise. But the destined objective of one’s explanation is to guide him or her to the desired destination, and not as mere exercise in logic.

Each motion of Taekwondo has various aspects in itself, so it is multi-dimensional. Language, however, relies inherently on meaning, which in turn refers only to a certain aspect of things, and so it is falls flat. However you may try, once you are restricted by language that relies on one-dimensional definitions it becomes impossible for you to explain a multi-dimensional phenomenon. For this reason we must resort to logic-leaping expressions. Oriental philosophy has long been explaining and systemizing its particular thoughts through the use of such expressions. Since Taekwondo also has simple yet multiple aspects I am proposing that it would be more appropriate to explain Taekwondo with terms from Oriental philosophy.

Introduction 4

4. What Concepts of Oriental Philosophy can explain Taekwondo Philosophy?

It is most properly the traditional philosophy of Korea that should be used in explanations of Taekwondo philosophy. Choe Chi-won wrote in his inscription on the Nan-Rang monument that there had once been a mysterious do (도[道])[1] called “Pung-Ryu” that included elements of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism.[2] Accordingly, it is very natural to explain the philosophy of Taekwondo by making use of concepts from any of those three philosophies. Thus, on the one hand I investigated and interpreted various works that can be said to contain elements of Korean philosophy, and on the other, borrowed many important philosophical concepts from those three Oriental philosophies (Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism), to explain the philosophy of Taekwondo. Among these consulted works, it was the Cheon Bu Gyeong (천부경[天符經] “The Heavenly Classic”)[3] that proved the most essential and the one I primarily relied upon.

The entire contents of this book rest upon the fundamental concepts of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, such as Do, Yae, Sool, Yeok, Yin and Yang, the Great Mean, the Three Dharma Seals[4], Vrajna (or Prajna), etc., but placed within the framework of the Cheon Bu Gyeong. I will interpret and relate them to the main concepts of Taekwondo, such as Kang-Yu, Heo-Sil, distance, tide, balance, poomsae, weapons, and attack-defense, etc. I will then organize the entire conceptual scheme along the categories of Samjae, which are the essential concepts of the Cheon Bu Gyeong. I thought, however, that this was not sufficient for clarifying every aspect of Taekwondo, and so I will also provide my own concepts on life.

At first, I explain Taekwondo at the three levels of Mudo, Muyae and Musool. In this process I add an explanation of the concept on Do, mentioning why it is require for a proper understanding of Taekwondo. You can read this at the beginning of the work (from Chapters One to Three), but as it is somewhat complicated and abstract you may have some difficulties understanding at first. If it proves too difficult you might choose to skip over it for the time being.

Next, I explain the relationship between life and Taekwondo. One should attain a deep understanding of life in order to understand Taekwondo, for it comprises the internal principle of man’s motions, and of living creatures in general. Its external principle of motion differs in no way from the principles of physics. But the principles of physics or of physiology alone are not enough to explain man’s motion. We should include an understanding of man’s spirit, which controls those motions, for a complete understanding of his motion. A physicist might be capable of providing a better scientific explanation of running than the runner or his coach. But it is not ‘running’ itself, but merely a physical movement that you observe in running. Thus an athlete can run better and a running coach can teach running better than a physicist. What is it that they know better? It is the internal principle of running that they know better. This is why they can explain and control the motion from within. Third is the concept of Samjae. This can be described as the concrete framework that formalizes the PPT, and it refers to the symbolic trinity of Heaven (Haneul), Earth (Tang) and Man (Saram). The concept of Haneul (Heaven) represents forms, comparatively abstract entities, and the framework of change and the reality of no shape. That of Tang (Earth) refers to material and matter, comparatively concrete entities, what is changed, and thus the shaped reality. Haneul and Tang are relative to one another, for which the criterion is Saram (Man). Here, Saram means the will or the intention that a man possesses. For example, if the principle of physics belongs to Haneul, then the matter that moves along it belongs to Tang, and to Saram belongs mankind, who distinguishes and recognizes them. Fourth is the concept of Yin-Yang. This concept is familiar to all Oriental people, yet its original meaning is somewhat abstract and carries various implications. Of the ways we can think of to explain the concept of yin-yang, I want to suggest a simple and easy one: the coupled relationship between the front and back of a thing, or of up and down. If a thing possesses a front side, then yin-yang says it must also have a back side. Likewise, if you climb a mountain yin-yang says you must eventually descend it. Yin-yang may be described then as a philosophical concept that enables you to conceive of both what you see now and what you cannot see right now, i.e. to conceive of the entirety at once. Yin-yang appears as Kang-Yu, Heo-sil, or attack-defense, in Taekwondo. So you can see that even if your opponent is strong, he also has defects; and however important smoothness may be in technique, it cannot be complete without hardness. This is not to say, however, that the concept of yin-yang can be applied indiscriminately. The essential point of yin-yang is relativity or difference. In other words, what is yin and what is yang is relative. Therefore, the concept of yin-yang is meaningful only in an entirety that includes differences, and it can be applied only to the whole stage that changes. What can we call that entirety that includes differences and change? The ancients termed it “Taegeuk” (태극[太極]) – the Great Absolute.

Here another question arises. Haneul (Heaven) and Tang (Earth) mentioned in Samjae refer to different aspects, which is similar to the concept of yin-yang. What then differentiates the concepts of Samjae and yin-yang? Yin-yang is a concept that explains the relative relationship between varying entities. It is purely and completely a relative concept, so you can apply it to anything freely with each criterion. Compared to it, the concept of Samjae includes also the criterion, which is the foundation of the relativity in such relations as yin-yang. So it includes not only Heaven (Haneul) and Earth (Tang), but also Man (Saram). While yin-yang possesses practicality, in that it apprehends the relativity of things freely, Samjae possesses fundamentality, in that it considers the criterion along with the relativity. Accordingly, Samjae is more reflective, and so a more fundamental concept than yin-yang. Therefore, I formalize the principles of Taekwondo in the broader framework of Samjae, applying the conceptual scheme of yin-yang to the more practical and applicable factors in it. And I suggest that the entire contents are based on Do and the foundation of philosophy on life.

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[1] In Chinese tao or dao, which may be translated as “path” or “way”. Though the Chinese term is certainly more familiar to Western readers, for obvious reasons, here and throughout this text the Korean pronunciation “do” will be used. However, to differentiate it from the English “do” it will always appear capitalized.

[2] Choe Chi-won (최치원[崔致遠], 857-?) was one of the most preeminent scholars of the Korean Silla Kingdom (59 BCE-935 CE). Among his surviving works one of the most famous is the inscribed monument of Nan-Rang, dedicated to an explanation of the philosophical underpinnings of Hwarang, a Silla school dedicated to the nurturing of a warrior elite.

[3] The Cheon Bu Kyeong (천부경[天符經]) is a main bible of Korean traditional religion. It is a very brief text. It reads in its entirety:                   

Oneness and nothingness are born with each other. Divided into Three, they produce boundless change without exhausting their origin. The one Heaven is one, the one Earth is two, and the one Man is three. Accumulating those onenesses into the big ten, never-ending change is caused by those Three. The Heaven when two is three, the Earth when two is three, and the Man when two is three too. These big Three make Six, producing Seven, Eight, and Nine. Through Three and Four it makes a ring by Five and Seven. Since this One is profound and mysterious, coming and going innumerably, its use changes while its root never changes. Intrinsically the mind is the root of everything, when looking up to the bright sun, so Heaven and the Earth make one in Man. Oneness and nothingness finish with one another.

(一始無始一, 析三極無盡本, 天一一地一二人一三, 一積十鉅, 無▩化三, 天二三地二三人二三, 大三合六, 生七八九, 運三四成環五七, 一妙衍, 萬往萬來, 用變不動本, 本心本, 太陽昻明, 人中天地一, 一終無終一.)

[4] impermanence, non-self, and nirvana

Introduction 2

2. What is the Philosophical Principle of Taekwondo?

The Philosophical Principle of Taekwondo (PPT) is a constant one. It is as constant as the laws of physics. But Taekwondo philosophy, which conceptualizes it, changes and advances. It changes and advances just as physics, which studies the principles of physical phenomena, changes and advances.

This PPT is inherent in man’s motion, so it is an internal principle that lies where Nature meets Man. This principle is also in man, so it differs from that of physics. But it does not mean that they contradict one another. There is nothing mysterious about the PPT, and so nothing in it that you cannot comprehend. It is merely something difficult to capture in words. You must understand it in your motion.

PPT is a principle that focuses the most basic and fundamental of man’s motions, that which is immanent in the fighting movements with which a man protects his own life and survives. Here we can pose some questions:

Why do we focus on fighting movements?

What are the contents of the principle?

Firstly, let me explain why we focus on fighting movements.

Man is a life. This life seeks to survive, and so in most cases it is averse to fighting for its inherent threat to life. In spite of our struggle to erase death, however, we cannot cleanse it away either at the beginning nor the end of life, nor here and there throughout our life. It is an escape, even a sort of lie, to attempt such a thing. Though we may attempt to avoid a fight when we inevitably meet it in the course of life, Taekwondo spirit rejects this escape, and compels us to meet face to face that which we most abhor. I conceive it in this book as a “transcendence to the inside of life”. This means the adoption of a positive contemplative attitude that accepts not only the bright but also the darker aspects of things.

It is not for this reason alone that the principle of Taekwondo focuses on the fight. In the negative term “fight” we may discern the clearest manifestation of the “interaction between you and your opponent”. In fact, this interaction between you and the adversary constitutes every factor of your life, not simply Taekwondo. In other words, through the PPT you can come to understand the principle that underlies every aspect of your life and thus come to better understand not just Taekwondo but your life entire. This is why Taekwondo may stand as a philosophy in itself. With this understanding, you can see that Taekwondo’s focus on the fight serves to sublimate the darker aspects of life we can neither erase nor ignore.

Secondly, let me explain the contents of the PPT.

As mentioned in the foregoing, though the PPT is constant, it may be explained in various ways. The explanation you will encounter in this book is but one of such ways. It begins with the ways of Samjae (“The Three Materials”): Haneul (“Heaven”), Tang (“Earth”) and Saram (“Man”). The way of Haneul (Heaven) says you must maintain your center, i.e. maintain everything steady in its most proper place among the continuous change that surrounds you. The way of Tang (Earth) says you must make your opponent opposed to the world by using your harmony as an opposition. On the other hand, the way of Saram (Man) says you must keep what you are, remain true to your intentions and avoid extremes in your interactions with others.

Each of these Samjae principles, in combination with another, forms an important abstract factor in the motions of Taekwondo, as well as in every sort of human interaction. These are distance, tide, and balance. Haneul and Tang when united make distance; Haneul and Saram when united make tide; and Tang and Saram when united make balance (Chapter 19). You should consider them all as a way to comprehend and apply the techniques of what in Korean is called Kyorugi.[1]

Though you may now be thinking it too difficult to understand such principles of Taekwondo, this is because they have only been expressed through inadequate words. However, when presented in training through the proper demonstrations of your Taekwondo master you will perceive the combination of thought and motion, and all will be very concrete and simple to understand. This will also provide you with clear standards for your Taekwondo training. So it may be said that this book presents the correct Taekwondo philosophy.

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[1] See Note 19.

Introduction 1

1. What is Taekwondo Philosophy?

Is there a philosophy to Taekwondo? If so, then where in Taekwondo shall we find it? Many scholars have concerned themselves with this question. Most have sought Taekwondo’s philosophy within the context of traditional Oriental philosophy and religion, and so they researched Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism in an effort to apply their concepts to Taekwondo. And what was the result? Only a Taekwondo encumbered with the complex and abstruse terminology of Oriental philosophy, while nothing of the true and essential Taekwondo remained. There is a very simple reason for this: Confucius, the Buddha, Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu never discussed Taekwondo.

Is there a philosophy to Taekwondo?

If a true Taekwondo philosophy exists then it must be found nowhere else than in Taekwondo itself. I believe there is such a philosophy, and that it exists within the principle of motions of Taekwondo. This book, The Philosophical Principles of Taekwondo, will reveal its detailed nature.

Taekwondo philosophy should be established along these lines: First we should attain a full understanding of Taekwondo itself. We should then investigate its functioning philosophical principles. If, in searching the appropriate terms with which to conceptualize it, we come to realize that a certain traditional Oriental philosophy has shared aspects with Taekwondo, only then can we have sufficient reason to apply its terms and logical scheme to Taekwondo.

If one were to compare good Taekwondo philosophy to a well-fitting suit that was created from the cloth of another suit, then a Taekwondo philosophy loaded with improper terms and concepts having nothing to do with Taekwondo (despite their Oriental philosophical origins), might then be compared to someone else’s suit with your name merely sewn therein. The mere presence of your name is in no way sufficient to make that suit suitable to you. Again, Taekwondo philosophy must be conceived from the philosophical and constant principles immanent in the motions of Taekwondo itself.

Many are those who would confine Taekwondo philosophy to spiritual tenets. But a proper understanding of Taekwondo will recognize that the philosophical principles of Taekwondo can be applied equally to the activities of both mind and body. That is to say, its philosophical principle remains the same regardless of whether it concerns the mind or the body. You will come to understand this through this book. I believe one of the most pervasive and erroneous results of scholarly efforts to apply irrelevant philosophical concepts to Taekwondo is the confining of Taekwondo philosophy to the purely mental realm. This is akin to cutting your own arms and legs in order to better fit into another's suit. The ideal Taekwondo philosophy should explain both the spirit and the motion (i.e. mind and body) of Taekwondo. It should also be able to explain the relationship between that spirit and motion. This book shall attempt this task by showing that the principles of spirit and motion are one in the same in that they have the same formality. Taekwondo philosophy is the conceptualization of the philosophical principles immanent in both spirit and motion, just as every Taekwondo man manifests in his motion.

Div.8 Chapter 64

Oneness and Nothingness Finish in One Another

“Please, explain further.”

…(A calm smile).

Taekwondo is like a conversation. Its basic motion is to a word what Poomsae is to a sentence, and what an actual Kyorugi is to dialogue. However, Taekwondo has this difference from the dialogue of words: the story made of Taekwondo cannot include a falsity and its dialogue makes no distinction of question and answer but maintains them in oneness. How is this possible?

As it was said at the beginning, in its essence Taekwondo is the skill of killing a man. This essence is found on the border between life and death, i.e. the borders of daily life. One main feature that constitutes Taekwondo’s essence is that it stands on the opposition; particularly, on the very extreme of the confrontation of existence. This extremity of the confrontation of existence brings one to the place where life meets death face to face. The meeting place of life and death; here one can discern everything gathered at one spot in a single moment; here one can see the evident truth. Therefore, Taekwondo reveals the truth of life. Just as you can more easily discern who is truly benevolent when things are scarce than when things are prosperous; and you can more clearly discern who possesses true courage to protect others during grave danger than during times of security. Every falsity cannot help disappearing in the extreme figure of Taekwondo.

How can there be falsity? There can be falsity because a thought differs from the world; a word differs from a thing; and what one intends differs from what one reveals. The distinctions that produce all of these also generate falsity.

However, the dialogue of Taekwondo is itself a reality. An intention shows itself as nothing but intention, and the entire sequence presented as one. That is, there is no “distinction”, which is the house where falsity dwells. Taekwondo cannot be expressed in words because its truth is beyond distinctions. Instead, the truth of Taekwondo is to be delivered from mind to mind.

When you go over the distinction between this and that you can destroy the distinction between your mind and the opponent’s one. Etiquette and human equality are to be harmonized among these open minds. And the relation among open minds is extended to the inside of Taekwondo, to every aspect of our lives. Therefore, those who do not respect their parents in truth cannot attain the ultimate step of Taekwondo; those who do not respect their master in truth can never begin learning Taekwondo; those who do not love their friends can never make good use of Taekwondo; those who do not serve their forefathers can never know the value of Taekwondo; and those who do not love their country can never find themselves in Taekwondo.

What has been said in all of this? It is this: overcome the illusion generated by intention and distinction, and transcend to the inside of life. Ultimately there is no difference between distinction and non-distinction, and between intending something and following the changes of nature. You as a Taekwondo-Een, who have realized this truth, will see that knowing something is neither the same as nor different from never having known it, and so you will renew yourself everyday. There is no end in sight.

Div.8 Chapter 63

The Truth of Taekwondo is both Right and Strong

“I think I am still deficient.”

“What is the difference between sufficiency and deficiency?”

Taekwondo permeates your inside through training and your life through yourself. On the other hand, the entirety of daily life forms you, who also determines the momentary Taekwondo. Taekwondo is at once a part of life and a way of life. Therefore, the moment of facing your opponent always lies concealed within your daily life, which is in turn condensed in a moment. A moment is not separated from eternity.

Taekwondo and life permeate one another, erasing their distinctions just as everything is originally without distinction. In its origin, every thought comes from action and intention to act, and it is composed of words and logic. Words and logic always include names, which inevitably rely on distinctions. Here you can see the limitations of words and logic. This distinctive nature destroys harmony, the perfect harmony of the world and you. If the truth were to contain the true figure of things it must be beyond such distinctions, so it cannot be expressed in words. The word is nothing but a sort of tool.

TAEKWONDO plunges into being itself not through words but as action. And it expresses no distinctions between this and that. A Taekwondo-Een does not face the world with words but enters into it. That is, he meets and touches beings at first hand. Thus, he accepts everything as it is. The ultimate truth of Taekwondo can only be felt and experienced; it cannot be expressed or analyzed. The truth of Taekwondo, which is beyond distinction, cannot be explained in words but must be delivered directly from mind to mind.

You should empty everything of yours in order to destroy the wall between minds, receptive to all things with an impartial mind. Then all attachments and negations will be emptied. This is giving up everything of yours to attain TAEKWONDO. What vice could break into this? Therefore, it is impossible for a truly vicious man to reach the ultimate truth of Taekwondo, as has been taught in most didactic tales. For vice is an attachment to or coveting of some trivial object, and the confused contradiction of a closed mind. The true should be strong. Therefore, if there were an ultimate truth it should be both right and strong for man. The truth of Taekwondo is just such an entirety as original life.

Div.8 Chapter 62

The World in a Falling Leaf

“Am I now sufficient?”

“You are still deficient in the arrangement of your life.”

How should one live? Every doubt a man has concerning the truth begins from and returns to this question. This question is the faithful companion to life. A consistent system of attitudes or concepts regarding the answer to this question may be called a “value conception”.

So closely is Taekwondo related to life that one can find in a Taekwondo-Een the positive value conception he comes to possess through training, one gained through endless strain and the transcendence over the self. Although you can manage your life well in different ways, in Taekwondo you may intensely drive yourself up to the border of life, for you desire to live a more positive life. On the one hand, you have to admit your opponent is superior to you in many aspects; on the other hand, you never cease seeking out his every blind point. Though it may seem but a trivial flaw within the finely woven pattern of his poses and movements, finding such a point, you are ultimately able to subdue him and preserve yourself. This is possible only with the positive mind that can find pleasure even amidst pain and trial and can discern twinkling stars in the night’s darkness, as well as with the creative mind that can discover in the smallest details a world open to infinite possibilities. This is the value conception of a Taekwondo-Een.

This value conception gained from Taekwondo can cover all kinds of virtuous worth. There can be no falsity in plunging into life itself, prior to thinking, with full acceptance and understanding of all, including the truth. How good it is to discern infinite possibility even through life’s barest detail hint, and to turn this positive outlook towards mankind. This is the foundation of ethics. This value conception of a Taekwondo-Een becomes harmonized when actions and cognitions, which constitute the process of life, are mediated without thinking, and then it is beauty which you feel, which advances to an art form. And knowing that all of these are one, you can open the door to transcendence.

Someone may say all of these are mere sophisms, but by gaining words one loses reality. So is it especially with Taekwondo and life. The ultimate significance of a word belongs not to the word itself. The finger that points to the moon is no moon. The ultimate significance of word lies in its ability to lead those who understand it in right way. When a finger points to the moon, look at the moon. Though here there are many words about fighting, they are not to help you fight others but to lead you along the correct path.

A good soldier regards himself fortunate if he never has to fire his weapon. Just because TAEKWONDO leads you to the right path, you as a Taekwondo-Een always should practice TAEKWONDO throughout your daily life. The lethal weapon is mere small aspect of Taekwondo. On the other hand, lethal weapons are everywhere in life, hidden even in words. Unless you can discard them when you ought, they will harm you. Why is it said you must abandon everything to attain Taekwondo? Because life is a lethal tool.

Do you want to achieve perfect Taekwondo? Then seek everything of Taekwondo and life. And when you’ve got it, abandon it all. Only then will perfect TAEKWONDO be attained.

Div.8 Chapter 61

Commencing Training by Following Patterns

A good beginning means half-done.

But once begun, a good ending half remains.

Each one of us is unique. We each have our own unique bodies, varied habits, and individual motions. We each lead different lives and those lives too are unique. Yet the basic process of Taekwondo training is the same for all. Why is it that? Generally speaking, originally there is Man (or Woman) in the world who distinguishes everything while the non-distinguished oneness is the world itself. It is along this border between man and the world that man’s discerning mind functions. Man knows everything is different from one another and then knows that everything is the same, while everything has an original sameness, this is followed by differences.

Naturally, correct Taekwondo training does not contradict the principle of everything. Just as all newborns may seem very similar at first, but as they grow older become more unique, so do all Taekwondo learners begin from their sameness in training and then proceed to train themselves along their respective differences. In this entire process, Taekwondo training is not about mimicking another’s motions from beginning to end but about seeking TAEKWONDO by “following” its formality. Learning Taekwondo is not imitation but creation. Though in training you may imitate your senior’s movement, you should not imitate everything of his one. In each motion as well as in the flow of motions you should think with both your brain and heart, with your action and with your entirety. Therefore, though you learn from your master and seniors, it is no more than borrowing antecedent experiences and imparted wisdom that serve to broaden your thought. Since you are aware that you are both the same and different from others you also realize what you can learn and what you must learn. This is to follow.

The training process begins at the Taekwondo dojang and then expands to all aspects of one’s life. At first you should follow those whose skills are superior to yours, while learning as well from those who are inferior to you. Though one may imitate in training it is creative imitation; Taekwondo never loses its creative essence and it always maintains its vivid and concrete structure. It is not that you should accept Taekwondo completely but that you should change yourself to a figure of Taekwondo, eliminating your faults to stand in your perfected form. Every change can be what it is because it includes what does not change.

Div.8 Chapter 60

Everything in the World Pleasing Me

Only man is benevolent, while Nature (jayeon) is indifferent.

This is called jayeong (Physis).[1]

The roughness of a mountain is suffering itself, while just beside it can be found the ease and comfort of those who do not climb its heights but dwell in its protective bosom. You can encounter the peacefulness of those taking a rest next to the severe thirst of others who run to and fro under the blazing sun. In this same manner, you can always find the temptation of comfort next to the pain of the transcendental discipline of a Taekwondo-Een. Why does a Taekwondo-Een continue such a painful struggle for transcendental discipline? Easy comfort is but a manifestation of death. Life is ever the process of distancing oneself from death; it is a continuous change and activity. The strain accompanying change is suffering. Life is struggle itself.

Taekwondo has its roots in the border between life and death. This border between life and death is the net that closes increasingly in around life from outside. But the net has neither inside nor outside. A Taekwondo-Een exits the net continuously to begin again from a new inside of the net. Taekwondo involves the process of escaping the boundary between life and death towards life; and further more, implies transcendence over the entire relationship. A Taekwondo-Een pursues life and in the process transcends it. This is transcendence to the inside of life.

Why is it that the net closing in on life has neither inside nor outside? Why does a Taekwondo-Een fight on the boundary between life and death? It is because the world that includes Taekwondo is also opposed to Taekwondo. Put another way, you inhabit the world while fighting with that world. In the opposition to yourself you are the other and the other is you. You as a Taekwondo-Een are in the world, yet having your own life, you also struggle against the world. That struggle can take on an infinite number of faces, there are countless ways in which Taekwondo and the world can be involved with one another. Life is an unavoidable fight, so you who practice Taekwondo should plunge into it to the very end of your limits through a transcendence to the inside of life. There you can experience the realm where Taekwondo is, accepting life with pleasure. Whenever you surpass your limits in Taekwondo you enlarge the sphere of your own existence.

The process of Taekwondo training is that of life compressed. What makes you live in spite of all sufferings? It is only your will to live. And it is also only your will that enables you to train beyond your limits. To overcome oneself is to take one step further in the pleasure of internal solitude, to establish a new objective a few steps farther than the last. One endures a task more difficult than climbing a precipitous cliff to find another self, and one does it for oneself alone. You who continue such difficult and solitary Taekwondo training can find contentment in it because it is your own will that chooses it.

In Taekwondo one discerns that pleasure and pain are two aspects of the same thing. Suffering and pleasure are one in the process of surmounting one’s limitations. This is the emotional meaning implicit in Taekwondo. The most important truths are common. Those who have never experienced pain cannot know true pleasure, while only those who have suffered severe defeat can savor the delights of victory. Though you find everywhere walls you must break down, you cannot help advancing. This tension is the essence of life. It is always painful to surpass your limits, but persist you must. This is the figure of life dwelling within Taekwondo. When you realize this in the right way you will find contentment; then you will find pleasure in the world’s face.

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[1] The Korean term “jayeon” (자연[自然]) literally means 'being as it is' or 'suchness of itself'. Its English translation is “nature”, though unlike “jayeon” the English word “nature” carries connotations of birth, with its origin in the Latin “nascor”. The English term “physis” has a closer affiliation to the Korean “jayeon”.

Div.8 Chapter 59

Horizons without End

“What more do I now require?”

“You require more control of your mind”

The process Taekwondo training ought always to be that of overcoming your limitations. To surpass your limits is a transcendental discipline. In the process one will always encounter fear, pain and the temptation to make excuses; conquering these demands patience and fortitude. All of this constitutes character building. Strengthening your body, training your mind, and mastering Taekwondo are one.

Why is it that you should train yourself always in the pain of the transcendental discipline of Taekwondo? It is due to the limitlessness of life. There are no rules in life. If there were any, it would be the law of nature upon which man cannot infringe. The limitlessness of life is reflected in Taekwondo’s martiality (mu 무[武]). There are no rules as you face your opponent on the border of life and death. You can rely only at the level of transcendence on the oughtness that you should win the struggle. There is no knowing what cunning contrivances or cruel methods he may employ. There can be no plea after death. This is the limitlessness of Taekwondo.

This limitlessness of Taekwondo also supplies us with the reason we must obey rules in competition. If you cannot subdue your opponent in a fair play with full respect for the rules of competition, neither could you subdue him in a fight without rules. If you cowardly disregard rules in competition it implies you could not avoid death in a free fight. The rules of competition are those of civilized humanity. They exist for the sake of what man desires to do, which is to preserve himself. Nature cares nothing for man. You as a Taekwondo-Een must exhaust all the frailty of life and the anguish of defeat in the pain of transcendental discipline. It is a choice.

Your limitations are the realm and the boundary of all you can do. This realm will expand every time you exceed them. The total of what you can do reflects your own size. To exceed one’s limitations, though it may seem paradoxical, is nevertheless possible for a Taekwondo-Een through the power of his will, his fortitude, and the patience that arises from his reverence for life.

Through Taekwondo training you will experience and come in direct contact with the most positive aspects of man’s essence – and ironically, in the process come to recognize your own limitations. And because your limits are extended every time you train, you must meet those limitations every time in order to surpass and overcome them.

Through Taekwondo training you should transform your self, while preserving what you are at the same time. Thus, Taekwondo training for everyone is one of life’s never-ending processes. This implies that its ends and means are one. The entire meaning of life – true happiness, absolute strength, and so forth, are immanent in it, where the ends and the means become one.

Therefore, your training process, no matter how it is constituted, can be divided into two steps. The first is to attain your limits, which advance with time, and the second is to then overcome them. These two steps cannot actually be discerned in one.

Every person’s limitations can be characterized in various ways and the limitations in each aspect are woven with others to form the overall limitation state. You should conquer one of them to advance over it like a stepping stone to the next, and thus eventually overcoming all. This entire limitation state is but yourself, whom you encounter every time you practice Taekwondo. He is your eternal opponent.

In some cases you will encounter a limitation state that seems impossible to surmount with the power of your will alone. For example, what would you do if your reaction were not quick enough? The method for overcoming every limitation state is given in one, because you are yourself a single entirety. Therefore, your limitations are also as a single entirety, thus, overcoming all means overcoming one.

Therefore, to conquer the above mentioned limitation you need simply practice basic reaction exercises. You should attain tranquility of mind and control of your life in the course of this overcoming process. Only then can you be content with the technique of killing.